Resolutions Passed at the NEB Meeting – September 16, 2017

Whereas, e-books today account for at least half the market for books sold in the U.S., and members need to have the latest information about them when negotiating contracts;

Whereas, the section on e-books in The Guide to Book Contracts needs to be consolidated and updated based on E-Book Contract Amendments (2010) and the e-book webinar (2016);

Whereas, Susan E. Davis, National Contract Advisor, is the person most familiar with both the Guide and the topic of e-books, having collaborated on and presented the webinar;

Be it resolved that Susan E. Davis be engaged to create the E-Book Addendum to the Guide, which can be downloaded in a digital format, by January 1, 2018. She estimates the work will require no more than 4 hours, which @ $25/hour will cost no more than $100 (or less).

Separate the Copyright Office from the Library of Congress

Submitted by theNWU Book Division

Whereas, inadequate government funding for library acquisitions, including acquisition of digital rights, has led to conflict between libraries and writers over copyright policy and digital rights, which has ended up depriving writers of fair compensation for their work;

Whereas, the National Writers Union believes these conflicts are unnecessary and could be more fairly and effectively resolved through 1) increased government funding for acquisitions by public libraries, specifically the creation and expansion of digital libraries; and 2) the creation and funding of a public lending right (PLR) to compensate authors, as in Canada and many other countries, rather than through control of the Copyright Office and copyright policy set by the Library of Congress;

Whereas, as writers, we fully endorse all actions stated above that will provide fair compensation for writers;

Be it resolved: The NWU endorses the bipartisan proposal pending in both houses of Congress to separate the Copyright Office from the Library of Congress.

RESOLUTION OPPOSING ISLAMOPHOBIA

Submitted by the NY Chapter

Whereas it is in the labor movement’s interest to unite to defend our members and all communities from all forms of racism, xenophobia, and other forms of division, as well as violations of civil liberties, unlawful surveillance, and the actions of militarized police forces, and

Whereas Islamophobia (fear of Islam and Muslim people) is not a matter of scattered personal opinions but is an increasingly powerful, dangerous, and structural force in American political and social life that feeds racism, divides our people, and promotes violence and oppression at home and militarism and war abroad, and

Whereas the rise in Islamophobia in America has reached a fever pitch in recent months, punctuated by anti-Muslim rallies, an increase in anti-Muslim hate groups, and hate crimes ranging from harassment to murder perpetrated against Muslim citizens, refugees, immigrants, and the brutal double murder on a Portland commuter train. and

Whereas the militarization of our police (transforming police forces into paramilitary units), combined with widespread indiscriminate surveillance, has led to the further estrangement of police from communities of color and the Muslim population of this country they are sworn to protect at a time when those communities are under significant threat,

Resolved that the National Writers Union, United Auto Workers Local 1981, calls for the immediate end to any and all means to militarize domestic police forces, and be it further

Resolved that National Writers Union, United Auto Workers Local 1981, calls for an end of ethnic and religious profiling, mass surveillance, and “sting” operations in Muslim communities, and be it further

Resolved that National Writers Union, United Auto Workers Local 1981, opposes and will confront instances of Islamophobia in our communities, political processes, and among our own ranks, and will act in defense of and in solidarity with victims of Islamophobia, and be it further

Resolved that a copy of this resolution will be forwarded to our International union, UAW CAP Councils, State AFL-CIO, labor federations and local Central Labor Councils with the request that those bodies adopt it and forward it on for consideration at the 2017 AFL-CIO national convention.